Smarty Mom: Wendy Piazza

By Rachel H

Our Smarty Mom this Saturday is Wendy Piazza. Wendy has lived in the Triad since she was five. I was lucky enough to become her friend when I joined the Christian Moms Group at our church. Wendy is always bright and bubbly even when toting around four kids! She has Rachel (7), Anthony (5), Zachary (3), and Gabriel (1). She is married to Michael Piazza, and they currently live in Clemmons. Wendy taught school for a number of years and then continued to tutor reading until she had her third child. Wendy now stays at home with her children and enjoys reading, baking, doing crafts, and writing letters (the old fashioned way). She has also just taken up sewing.

So, let’s chat with Wendy.

You have four children and four siblings. Share with us some of your favorite parts of having a large family.
I love all the personalities that come with a large family. Each one is so different and it is a blessing to see them unfold before my very eyes. Although it is challenging at times, and always relatively noisy, I enjoy seeing the kids interact with each other. We have more than enough players for any given game, and simple things like dancing with the kids can turn into the highlight of the week! If I don't have a free hand to help a little one, chances are that someone in the family does. We learn to help and take care of one another, not just to tolerate each other, but to really enjoy each other. We are a close family and I pray it always stays that way.

What Smarty Tips do you have for stay-at-home moms with four or more kids?
My number one tip is to learn patience and to embrace selflessness. This is something I work on daily – but it is so important. If you want to raise selfless, patient children than you must be better at it than them! The mood of the mom really sets the tone for the whole family. Even my husband finds extra patience when I keep my cool and stay calm no matter what the difficult situation. While we are guilty at times of blowing our tops, we have made it a point to discipline out of love and not anger.

My second tip would have to be SIMPLIFY. Life with a large family is inevitably, somewhat complicated. But I try to simplify as much as possible so that I truly can give as much time and attention to the children as I can, without just running in circles moving clutter from here to there all day. (Although some days are still that way.) I am trying to model this by not getting too attached to things. The more stuff my kids collect, the less they know what to do with it all. So when Christmas and birthdays roll around we go through the toys and give some away to make room for the new goodies. I seem to be a bit picky with what I buy the kids too – I am a lover of the classic toys that kids really use their imaginations with: blocks, balls, dress-up, etc. And when it comes time to clean at our house the toys are easily tossed into the closest bin, which makes clean-up manageable and something everyone can help out with, even my one-year-old.

Another tip that helps me to get through some days is remembering that I am a role model to many people, whether it is my son or daughter, my sisters, my friends, or even the lady and child I pass at the grocery store. I have many times passed a mother who is having a difficult time with a couple of kids and she might see me and my four and wonder what I do to keep them straight while out of the house. Well, I get them involved in the trip by letting them hold and mark a list, helping me find the items I need (like a scavenger hunt), and allowing them to earn a treat with good behavior. If they are good helpers at the store they can earn some crackers, or chocolate milk (instead of plain) with lunch that day. But I never give things that are expensive or expected, and furthermore I only tell them if they earned it after they are buckled in the car. This minimizes meltdowns while still shopping and keeps them in line until we are on our way. And even if they are on my last nerve, I try not to show it knowing that they and others are watching my reaction to bad behavior.

Since you were a reading tutor, share with us some of your best advice on how to help emerging readers improve their skills.
Start early. Begin reading to your child at very young age. Make reading a fun and cozy activity that they love to participate in. Encourage them to “read” books to their favorite dolls while they are playing. As they get older, teach them the upper and lower case letter names. Play games to make it fun like using giant ABC floor puzzles or making letters out of play dough – they will learn so fast! After they have mastered the names, start to teach the letter sounds. Get the older kids involved too; they love playing school and teaching the younger ones the letter names. I've also invested in many easy reader books and on occasion the kids love having their turn to read the night-night story to everyone else. Practice, practice, practice!

Your family has a beautiful tradition of creating Pysanky, which are Ukrainian Easter Eggs. Our Moms Group had a great time making these last year. Please share more with us about this tradition and what it means to you.
My mom has been teaching the art of painting Ukrainian Easter Eggs for over twenty years now. She was drawn to the technique as well as the symbolism. In a nutshell, the technique involves gradually dying a raw egg with vibrant colors. In each colored bath the egg receives, a tool called a kistka is used to carefully cover in wax the color which you want to seal on the egg permanently. This process is repeated many times until the egg is nearly covered in wax. Then the fun part… melting all the wax to discover the beauty which has been sealed and uncovering all the patterns and symbols. Pysanky is very relaxing and a perfect way to meditate and focus, especially during the season of Lent.

The most meaningful aspect of the eggs to me is the whole idea of passing down traditions within our family. These are sacred memories that we, as a family, have enjoyed together for many years. So when I think to myself that I'm just too tired to make “Saturday morning flapjacks,” I think back and remember even what those little traditions meant for me growing up. Then I end up making a double batch!

Favorite place to get a good deal on kids clothes?
Other than getting clothes at 50-75% off at the end of a season (for the next season), I would have to say I love going to all of the church spring and fall sales. My tip is to only go on the last day when items are marked down 50%. You'll never know what you missed the day before!

What is your favorite family activity?
We love to take the family to Old Salem. If it's a nice day out we will go and play in the park area and take a long walk. We have to stop at the bakery and share some bread and cookies… we even call this “lunch” every once in a while! The Children's Museum there (at Old Salem) is really fun too. It's a place where there's always something going on and the kids can appreciate a little history in the process.

Favorite book you have read?
This is not a fair question because I have too many. My favorite parent-related book is The Educated Child: A Parent's Guide from Preschool through Eighth Grade by William J. Bennett. My new favorite children's book is Cookies: Bite-Size Life Lessons by Amy Krouse Rosenthal. It's a great conversation starter too.

Best place to eat lunch with the kids?
I would have to say Jimmy John's! They all love it and if we split a sub into three there is not one wasted crumb.

Favorite place to eat dinner out with the kids?
We don't eat dinner out with the kids often, but my choice is Cracker Barrel. They love walking around the store first and then there are great tic-tac-toe games and such that occupy them. There is something for everyone on the menu!

Funniest thing your kid(s) has ever said?
We like to pass time on the way home from school by holding spelling bee competitions. My daughter was in kindergarten and my oldest son was just a year behind her. After calling out words for 15 minutes, I ran out of three letter words and decided to give my son a laughable one-letter word. I said, “Now this is a hard one Anthony... How do you spell the word “I”?” He replied without hesitating, “I....E-Y-E.....I” Being very competitive with her brother since birth, Rachel quickly replied, “That's not how you spell it in Kindergarten!” I left it at that...

Favorite park in the Triad?
Tanglewood is our absolute favorite park. There are many things to do and the parks themselves are clean and age appropriate.

Best thing about raising a family in the Triad?
It's just a gorgeous area! Both my husband and I were raised here, so what can beat both sides of the family being close? We love being sandwiched between the beach and the mountains. And the schools are amazing all the way through college.

Best kept secret in the Triad?
I have to name two. One is the Kaplan educational supply store. They distribute all over the country from right here in Lewisville. Although it is a teacher's store, it is also a great store for parents! They have games, art supplies, puppets, instruments, books, posters, and a huge discount area.

The other is the largest scrap-booking store in NC, again in Lewisville, called The Enchanted Cottage. They teach great classes on techniques and offer endless supplies for those who love crafts. The coffee house next door makes it a great and relaxing destination when you have some time.

Best birthday party you have attended?
A Polka Dot Party was my favorite. It was held at a neighborhood park with related games and activities. There were beach balls to play with and a hard pool filled with sand for the kids to dig in and find treasures. There was even a station where the kids could paint polka dots on a shirt – we are still wearing them! It was very laid back and fun.

I could not live without my...husband, my calendar, and paper plates.

I wish someone had told me sooner about...how “less is more” at Christmas time. I went so overboard with gifts a couple years after Rachel was born and it made Christmas morning down right miserable. I heard someone tell me what they did and loved the idea. Now, there are just three gifts the children receive on Christmas morning: one from us, one from St. Nick, and then their stockings. A lot of thought goes into these gifts now and they end up being much better. Less time is used shopping, less money is forked out, and the hunt for gifts is no longer endless. In the process my kids are learning more about what Christmas really is all about. Every Christmas since has been picture perfect!

Thanks, Wendy for all your Smarty answers!

We are always on the hunt for Smarty Moms. And while we've been featuring some moms who have done AMAZING things such as going above-and-beyond the call of duty for others, doing incredible work for her family, friends, or community, or has accomplished tremendous feats - we are also looking to feature moms in the Triad who just simply live the daily grit of motherhood! Please send us your "mominations" and feel free to nominate yourself (especially if you are a mompreneur with a great service or product to promote)! We look forward to hearing from you. Email us here with your “Smarty Momination”!

Posted by Triad Smarty Pants at 5:00 AM